Monotheism

The book “Monotheism” (al-Tawhid) is one of the greatest Shiite theological works, written by the outstanding scholar sheik sadouq.

The author

Abu Jafar Muhammad Babwayh Qomi, known as “Ibn Babwayh” and “Sheikh Saduq” and “Ibn Babwayh”, a celebrated Shia jurisconsult and great traditionist in the 10^th century. He was born in 900.

After primary education, he studied jurisprudence and Hadith in the presence of great jurisconsults and traditionists of Qom such as: his father (Ali Ibn Babwayh Qomi), Muhammad Ibn Hossein Ibn Walid, Ahmad Ibn Ali Qomi, Hossein Ibn Idris Qomi and other great scholars.

Sheikh Saduq lived in the reign of the Shia dynasty “Buyids” which ruled the great part of the Islamic world, therefore Sheikh Saduq travelled a lot to visit Shia scholars in different places.

In 936, learnt Hadith from “Abul Hasan Muhammad Asadi” in Rey – Iran. In 941, he learnt Prophetic Hadiths from the great scholars of Neishabour: “Aqbu Ali Hossein Beyhaqi” and “Abdul Rahman Abdus”. Also in Marv from: “Abul Hasan Muhammad Faqih” and “Abu Yusuf Rafe”.

And in other cities: Kufa, Mecca, Baghdad, Balkh and Sarakhs learnt more Hadiths.

In 948, by request of the Buyid caliph “Rukn al-Dowleh Deylami”, Sheikh Saduq was resident in Rey and became the religious leader of Shias.

Works:

1. Attributes of Shias
2. Monotheism
3. Ma’ani al-Akhbar
4. The city of science (Madinat al-Ilm)
5. Moqanna’ (On jurisprudence)
6. Acquaintance
7. The reasons for religious laws
8. Proving the guardianship of Imam Ali (the 1^st Imam of Shias)
9. Perfecting the religion (Islam) and completing blessing

10-Oyun al-Akhbar

Habits (Khesal) ,etc.

Great scholars such as: Sheikh Tusi, Ibn Idris Helli, Ibn Shahr Ashub, Allameh Helli, Najashi, Fakhr al-Muhaqeqin and Allameh Bahr al-Ulum all have praised Sheikh Saduq.

He died in 991. His tomb is a place of pilgrimage in Rey – Iran.

The book structure

The book  is composed  in 67 chapters  including  monotheism , uniqueness of the Essence of God the essential attributes of God ( the compassionate, the  Merciful, the Relenting, the Forgiving….), the private the private attributes  of God ( not having children , not being a child, there is no motion in His Essence , He has no body ,….)
the relation between these two attributes (private and essential) with Divine Essence, formation and precedence , fate and destiny, fatalism and free will.

The author also concerns the distinction between the attributes of God is Essence (the Alert, the observant, the Aware, the capable,) and those of His deeds (word, creation , determination,….)
Besides  all these subjects, sheikh sadouq with the help of Hadiths  explains also the koranic verses whose  appearance  prove attributes
for God , the attributes such as: eyes, nose, face,….as well as  the attributes like: beside , Joking ,… some monotheism books have been written by Shiite  and Sunni scholars, as follows:

1- Mofazzal Ibn Umar kufi (one of the companions of Imam sadeq )

2- Abu Muhammad Hesham kufi, great Shiite theologian
 (the companion of Imam kazem and Imam Reza “the 7^th and the 8^th shia Imam)

3- Abu Ahmad Muhammad Azadi

4- Abu Muhammad Fazl Neishabouri

5- Sheikh Abu Hasan  Babwayh Qami ( father of the great scholar “ sheikh sadouq”

6- Abu sahl Ismail Nobakhti

7- Abu Jafar Muhammad Abi khatab

Due to the theological aspect of the book , many annotations have been written on it, the following are some of the annotators.

1- Sayyed Muhammad khalil Hoseini  kashani ( the  student of the prominent scholar “ Mullah Mohsen Feyz kashani”)

2- Shah Muhammad Istahbanati shirazi

3- Mullah Muhammad Baqer sabzwari

4- Abu Nasr Muhammad Ayashi (great Shiite commentator)

5- Jalal al- Din Muhammad Rowani

6- Qazi saeed   Qomi

7- Sayyed  Nemat Allah Jazayeri

Sources

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